ACI -- FI6300 -- UCS w/ VMM migration ACI -- FI6500 -- UCSX w/ VMM

[a12288]

We have ACI fabric connected to FI6300 and further down to UCS chassis which are hosting our production ESXi hosts and vCenter, the VMM has been running for years.

Now we have FI6500 and UCSX chassis installed, we would like to utilize the new UCSX in the existing VMWare environment. So we need all the existing EPGs pass through the corresponding FI and across the Fabric to other FI. Would that be possible?

Leo

[AshSe]

Hey @a12288 

Yes, it is possible to integrate your new FI6500 and UCSX chassis into your existing VMware environment and ensure that all existing EPGs (Endpoint Groups) can pass through the corresponding Fabric Interconnects (FIs) and across the ACI fabric. Before going through the steps to achieve this, lets take a look at the existing and new setup diagram as below:

Here are the high-level steps to achieve this:

1. Integrate FI6500 and UCSX with ACI Fabric:

   • Ensure that the new FI6500 and UCSX chassis are properly connected to the ACI fabric.
   • Configure the necessary VLANs and port channels on the FI6500 to match the existing configuration on the FI6300.

2. Configure ACI Policies:

   • Ensure that the ACI policies (EPGs, contracts, VLAN pools, etc.) are configured to allow traffic to flow between the existing and new infrastructure.
   • You may need to extend the existing EPGs to include the new ports connected to the FI6500 and UCSX chassis.

3. Update VMM Domain:

   • Update the VMware VMM domain in ACI to include the new UCSX chassis.
   • Ensure that the new hosts in the UCSX chassis are added to the existing VMware cluster and are part of the same VMM domain.

4. Network Configuration:

   • Ensure that the network configuration on the new UCSX chassis matches the existing configuration on the UCS chassis.
   • This includes VLANs, port profiles, and any other network settings.

5. Testing and Validation:

   • Perform thorough testing to ensure that traffic can flow between the existing and new infrastructure.
   • Validate that VMs on the new UCSX chassis can communicate with VMs on the existing UCS chassis and other network resources.

6. Migration Plan:

   • If you plan to migrate workloads from the existing UCS chassis to the new UCSX chassis, create a detailed migration plan.
   • Ensure minimal disruption to your production environment during the migration.

Here are more detailed steps for each part of the process:

Integrate FI6500 and UCSX with ACI Fabric

1. Physical Connections:

   • Connect the FI6500 to the ACI leaf switches using appropriate uplinks.
   • Connect the UCSX chassis to the FI6500.

2. FI Configuration:

   • Configure the FI6500 with the same VLANs and port channels as the FI6300.
   • Ensure that the FI6500 is part of the same UCS domain as the FI6300.

Configure ACI Policies

1. EPG Extension:

   • In the ACI fabric, extend the existing EPGs to include the new ports connected to the FI6500 and UCSX chassis.
   • This may involve updating the static path bindings for the EPGs.

2. Contracts and Filters:

   • Ensure that the necessary contracts and filters are in place to allow communication between the EPGs.

Update VMM Domain

1. VMM Integration:

   • In the ACI fabric, update the VMM domain to include the new UCSX chassis.
   • Ensure that the new hosts are added to the existing VMware cluster.

2. VLAN Pools:

   • Ensure that the VLAN pools used by the VMM domain are configured on the new FI6500.

Network Configuration

1. VLANs and Port Profiles:

   • Configure the necessary VLANs and port profiles on the UCSX chassis to match the existing configuration.

2. Network Policies:

   • Ensure that network policies (such as QoS, security policies, etc.) are consistent across the old and new infrastructure.

Testing and Validation

1. Connectivity Tests:

   • Perform connectivity tests to ensure that VMs on the new UCSX chassis can communicate with VMs on the existing UCS chassis and other network resources.

2. Performance Tests:

   • Conduct performance tests to ensure that the new infrastructure meets the required performance standards.

Migration Plan

1. Workload Migration:

   • Plan the migration of workloads from the existing UCS chassis to the new UCSX chassis.
   • Use VMware vMotion to migrate VMs with minimal downtime.

2. Monitoring:

   • Monitor the environment closely during and after the migration to ensure stability and performance.

By following these steps, you can successfully integrate the new FI6500 and UCSX chassis into your existing VMware environment and ensure seamless communication across the ACI fabric.

AshSe

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